1) i like to stay away from the crowd
2) in trying to take beautiful photos, you gotta have lots of patience! LOTS ! (it's all about timing, that split second of perfection)
3) if all else fails, Photoshop :P (fortunately, i am a patient photographer, so i avoid the post production work)

it really depend on where you go, it's really up to you, you have to make a list of the places that are important to you, not because it has tons of people or no one.

You decide and then you accept the current situation. You have no power over where people go or dont go.